Wizards & DCI pass sentence on New Phyrexia “God Book” Leak

April 28, 2011

We regret to report that the New Phyrexia spoilers posted prior to April 25 were done so without authorization of Wizards of the Coast, and that the sources of the leak have been discovered. We have received confessions from both Guillaume Matignon and Guillaume Wafo-Tapa describing what happened and apologizing for their actions. Two other players—Martial Moreau and David Gauthier—have also been identified as being involved.

As you all know, the “God Book” contains every card from an upcoming set, and this confidential material is trusted to very few people in order to keep the contents concealed until the proper time. As a writer for Lotus Noir Magazine, Matignon had access to the book in order to write about the upcoming release. He broke the trust of Lotus Noir and Wizards by sharing this information with his friends, and ultimately spoiling the set well in advance of its release.

“For the last few years, I have been writing articles for a French paper magazine. Thus I’ve been writing reviews for the newest Magic sets in there. Writers are provided with a ‘Godbook’ for reference on the new sets,” said Matignon in a statement made to Wizards on April 28. “I received the New Phyrexia Godbook, and decided to share it with my friend Guillaume Wafo-Tapa. I wanted his thoughts on this excellent set, to help me to write my article. However, he shouldn’t have had access to that document. Not at all. The ‘Godbook’ has been leaked on the internet. I don’t know exactly how. But it all comes from my mistake. I am responsible for that leak.

“Magic the Gathering is an immense part of my life. More than the game itself, the community of players, judges, organizers and Wotc employees is fantastic. And by my stupid actions, the game and the community has been hurt. If there is a single player quitting the game due to that leak, a single booster unsold, that will be my fault. My own fault. For someone who loves the game as much as I do, that’s horrible. I feel destroyed. I don’t have the words to express how much I feel sorry.”

Unfortunately when we learn of things that harm the integrity of the game and of the Magic community, Wizards cannot stand by without action. Guillaume Matignon has been suspended from the DCI for three years. Guillaume Wafo-Tapa, Martial Moreau, and David Gauthier have been suspended from the DCI until October 2012.